DSNY “Special Waste” Drop-Off Site Moving to Greenpoint
GREENPOINT – Next month, the industrial end of North Brooklyn will become the new home of a “special waste” drop off site where New York residents can dispose of batteries, car tires, motor oil and more.
The Department of Sanitation announced that on June 9th, 459 North Henry Street in Greenpoint will take over as the Brooklyn disposal location, which is currently located in Bensonhurst. That site, at 1824 Shore Parkway, will close on June 2, a week before the new site opens, so residents may have to hold on to some of that special waste for a week and avoid the temptation of tossing it with their regular trash.
In 2012, residents sued to prevent the construction of a waste incinerator at the Bensonhurst site. Now, their problem is moving up north.
What exactly goes in a special waste disposal site? The DSNY website has a comprehensive guide to whatever waste one can imagine, but for the new site, here’s a basic overview:
- Batteries, including automotive, rechargeable and single-use
- Motor oil and transmission fluid
- Motor oil filters
- Fluorescent light bulbs & CFLs
- Latex paint
- Mercury-containing devices
- Passenger car tires
- Electronics covered by the state disposal ban
Though commercial truck traffic—especially in regard to waste disposal—has been a major worry for North Brooklyn residents, this new site is explicitly for non-commercial vehicles.
However, if you’re driving a car with out-of-state plates, there might be an issue as well: not only will you need a New York State Driver’s License to get in, you’re gonna need to show valid registration, too.
If you decide to hoof it, lugging in your special waste on foot, do remember to bring a picture ID and some way of proving you’re a resident. And if you don’t carry a phone bill or utility bill on your person, this may be one of the few places your IDNYC can get you in…